Apparatus for separation of dispersions



Jan. 15, 1963 L. c. WATERMAN ETAL 3,073,454

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATION OF DISPERSIONS Filed Aug. 6, 1959.

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.Our invention relates to the separating of dispersions, including emulsions, and more particularly to the separating of those dispersions in which an oil is the continuous phase and a heavier material is dispersed therein in particulate form.

p The invention involves a unique and versatile separating apparatus by which dispersions are separatedin sequential zones within a closed horizontal container.- It is an important object of the invention to subject'thedis persion to a preliminary separating action while rising in an upright space occupying only-a small proportion of the internal volume of the horizontal container, the residual dispersion being then further separated in a larger zone of the container. A further object is to effect such further separation while the residual dispersion is flowing in a direction having a large horizontal component of motion.

It is a further object of the invention to employ a separation-promoting means to assist the preliminary separation. At the same time, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of chambers conducive to passable separation evenif the separationpromoting means is of a type actively inducing coalescence and becomes inoperative through malfunctioning. In this respect it is often desirable to employ a separating apparatus connected on-stream with large oil-refinery equipment which would be seriously damaged if, through malfunctioning, no separation of the incoming dispersion Was efiected. At the same time, such subsequent equipment can usually tolerate forza time a partially-separated dispersion.

becomes inoperative, the equipment willcontinue to deliver asubstantially purified oil.

Further-objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary embodiments,- illustrated in'the 4 drawing, in which: J 7 FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional-view of one embodiment ofthe'invention;

(FIG.v 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the Cline 2 2 of FIG. 1; f V

FIG. Bis a vertical transverse sectional view ta ken volume of the container 10 is an upright preliminary .separat on chamber .14. Any suitable-upr ght wall or I material'frbm'fiGWingfmmyithe w r-a (final-fibula}.

enclosure can be employed to partition off a portion of s the interior of. the container 1t} to-forrn this-separation ,chamber, in the preferred embodiment" is within a tubular member 3.5T shaped as ,c-yllinder fith s st a IaXis at-right angles to the horizontal axis of h-the container iii. The-upright preliminary separation 1 chamber, -Mfiniaybe 'at orv close to one:.encl;ofthe. container but. is, preferably centrally f disposed therein.

It is a feature of the present invention that if an active separation-promoting means is employed and tne -Qcha'mbien v So'supported by 'bracket'sSTand members 38 supported a Support members to are secured to the exterior of the tubular member and protrude as arms from the top and bottom of the tubular member to support it in the position shown. Y

5 The inventionemploys a second upright wall spaced from the first upright wall formed by the tubular member 15. This second upright wall is shown as a cylindri cal shroud 1'7 depending from the top wall of the container 1% and having an upper edge which conforms to 10 the upper cylindrical segment of the container, being Welded or otherwise secured in fluid tight relationship thereto. The space within the container it) beyond the tubular member 15 and the shroud 17 constitutes tv'vo'end' zones 'llh respectiveiy at opposite ends of the containen Means is provided for flowing the dispersion upwardly in the preliminary separation chamber 14. A multiorifice distributor 21 having perforated pipe arms 22 closed at their outer ends and'radiating from a manifold 23 may be employed in this connection, the distributor being at a lower position in the tubular member 15. The manifold 23 is positioned at the upper endof a riser pipe 24 which extends from the container Hi to any suitable source of dispersion. Often the dispersion is produced by pumping streams of oil and aqueous or other oil-immiscible material through pipesZd and 26 to. a junction 27 and thence through a mixer 28 connectedto the pipe 24, pumps 29 and 3t respectively pressuring the streams i. and delivering the resulting dispersion to the interior of .the tubular member 15st superatmospheric pressure The distributor 22 tends to break-uplthe stream of dispersion intoj'a plurality of smaller streams distributed throughout the horizontal cross-section ofthe preliminary 40 separating chamber M, these streams ultimately joining into a larger stream rising slowlyin this chamber as inv The dispersion is subjected I to gravitational forces during this slow upward movement 1 and some of the'heavier material will drop therefrom into :thelower interior of the container 30. As shown, the support niembersitd position the tubular member iSto; leave a space 33 between thelo wer edge of the "tubular;

' member and the bottom, wall of the container it this i dicated by the arrows 3&1.

' space interconnecting the lower interiors of the two end zones 18., Bodies 31 of heavier material collect in the.

lower- "interiors of these end zones, being withdrawnp through a heavier rnaterial 'eiiluent pipe means 32, later" described, at such rate astomaintain the levelorsur,

faces'of the bodies 331 in a predetermined position, for example as indicated by theline -AA of FIG. 1.

side the tubular member, This'prevents oil-continuous rnember. I I -Any suitable separation-promoting means may be;

fpio'yed in the :upright separationchaihber itto b the preliminary separation which. takes p'lace' 'ther For example, PEG. 1 shows a grid'of-space d'uprightflowstraightening jmembers made of sheet materialfincluding ,rnembers 35 ofan upper setdepending from'a framewo This level wiil usually be slightlyabove the lowermost edge I of the tubular member 15. Substantially the same level will exist inside the tubular member 15. The separated? 1 eavy material thus forms afliquid seal between the inside and outside of the tubular member because this member dips into the separated heavier material so that Zcol'umnsofthis liquid are :respectively insideiand out a better opportunity for the solid material to settle from i the resulting substantially laminar streams between these members. a

If desired, electric fields can be established in the spaces 42 between the members 35 and 33 to induce further coalescence of the particles of the heavier material, such coalescence producing larger masses which settle more readily against the rising stream of the incoming dispersion. If such electric fields are to be established in the spaces 42, the rod 4t may be suspended from an insulator 44 in the housing 41 and energized from a source of potential 45 through a high voltage lead 46 which may extend through a suitable bushing 4-7 and be connected to the rod 49 to maintain the members 38 at this high voltage. The members 35 may be connected to the other terminal of the source 45 through ground. Unidirectional voltage gradients of 2,000-6,000 volts per inch are commonly employed. Other types of members can be employed as electrodes within the preliminary separation chamber 14.

The separation-promoting means in the upright separation chamber 14 mayinclude also a means for washing the incoming dispersion by channeling it through a body of water or a body of the heavier material already separated from the dispersion. This type of operation will be more fully explained with reference to FIG. 4 but can be effected in the equipment of FIG. 1 by controlling the outflow of the heavier material to raise the level of the bodies 31 to a position DD above the distributor 21.

The streams issuing from the-perforations of the distributor will then be discharged into such a body to be washed 1 thereby in a manner to promote the separation of heavier material therefrom.

The uppermost end of the tubular member 15 is preferably in a horizontal plane spaced below the upper interior wall of the container 10, providing a space through which the upper interior of the chamber 14 communicates with the upper interior of the upright flow passage 19. Such uppermost end is in the formof an edge acting as a dam over which flows the residual dispersion or partially purified oil resulting from the preliminary separation in the chamber 14. We prefer to provide a circular flange member 51 extending inwardly from the upper end of the tubular member 15 a slight distance, guiding the residual dispersion to flow through a large circular opening 53 of slightly smaller area than the upper end of the tubular member 15. This tends to equalize more nearly t the upward flows in the various annular spaces 42 bea The residual dispersion exudes from the large orifice 20, preferably at a position below the horizontal midsectional plane of the container 310. The exudation orifice preferably faces downwardly. shroud 17 is preferably in a horizontal plane and, as best shown in FI G.,.3, is correspondinglyspaced varying distances from the-internal cylindrical surface of the .conta iner 10, providing a varying-width passage 61 (FIG.

3) which distributes the residual dispersion into the two end zones 18 in a manneryconducive to the best separation therein. t

, .Theexudation orifice 2'9 is of relatively large width The lower end of the,

4 and cross-sectional area. For example, the shroud 17 is desirably of a diameter at least about one-half the diameter of the container 10, the width of the orifice 20 sing suiiicient to cause the residual dispersion to exude or ooze slowly therefrom, as distinct from being jetted downwardly in the end zone with a large vertical component of motion sullicient to carry same to or into the bodies of separated heavier material 31 below the level A-A. Commonly, the orifice 23 is of a width of several inches to avoid such jetting even at relatively large thrcaghputs. By having the residual dispersion exude slowly from the orifice 2'9 and fiow smoothly across the dam-like lower edge of the shroud 17 it will follow flow paths in the end zones determined largely by pressure differences, as distinct from momentum.

It has been found that a much improved settling action takes place in the end zones 13 if the residual dispersion is caused to move therein as tranquil streams flowing in inclined paths from the exudation orifice. 20 toward the upper interiors of the end zones. Stated in other words, it is desirable that the residual dispersion be made to flow in a direction away from the upright separation chamber 14 and lengthwise of the container in each end zone, by which we have reference to a movement of the residual dispersion in such direction as to have-a large horizontal component of motion. This not only spreads the residual dispersion throughout the end zone but prolongs the ilow paths, giving additional time for the heavier material to settle to the bodies 31.

The preferred manner of obtaining such movement of the residual dispersion lengthwise of the container in the end zones 18 is to employ a suitable oil efiluent pipe means 65 opening on the upper interior of each end zone at a position or positions sufficiently far removed from the orifice 20 to establish such flow. The oil efiluent pipe means 65 preferably includes an oil collector having a plurality of orifices spaced from each other lengthwise of the container and thus spaced different distances from i the orifice 20. As shown, the structure includes a longi- 'tudinal pipe 66 traversing the end zones 18 and the upper discharging the composite stream through a riser pipe 72 as controlled by a valve 73. r

It is desirable that the orifices 71 be arranged in several series extending longitudinally of the container wherefore some of the streams, indicated generally by the numeral 75, angle upwardly more sharply then others and whereby a generally outward or lengthwise flow in the end zones is induced. By distributing the orifices 71 so that some are at the extreme ends of the end zones, the flow pattern 'is particularly advantageous and the entire horizontal cross-sectional area of theend zones can be made available for separation even though the exudation orifice'20 is localized near the center of the container. Best results are obtained if the longitudinal series of orifices in each end zone are arranged so that at least one series is on each side of the vertical longitudinal midplane of the zone. In this way the orifices in each longitudinal series are spaced from each other lengthwise of the container while the orifices of adjacent series are spaced from each other laterally of the container to produce apattern causing the residual dispersionto'sprcad.

over substantially the entire. horizontal cross-sectional area of the end zones.

Additional dispersed or heavier material separates from the stream-75 as indicated by the arrows 77. This niaterial settles to the bodies 31 below the lev'el A-A 'and becomes a part thereof. The mannerof withdrawinglthe heavier'material from such bodiesbanbe made toaugment. the generally lengthwise flow. of the. resiclual dist residual dispersion and causing it to advance longitudinally except, that no flange 90 was present. -With a unidirec tional voltage. gradient of about- 'lfldfi'voltsper inch in ,th spaces 42. and with an arrangement otorifices .71 as.

suggested in FIGS. 1 and 3, theseparated =efllueI1L-Qi1 heavier. material. l The sep aratedl 'heavier "material {was l withdrawn from'the' bottmxoi-:the container a}clear state; In the absencegpf the electric-fields, other cond l resolvedoi separated t'o'a passable extentpthe o persion by designing the heavier material efiluent pipe containing no more than a few tenths of a percent of means 32 to intake at positions removed outwardly from residualdispersed material, depending upon the particular I I the vicinity of the orifice 29, producing a generally outoil being treated. These results are typical of a settler of ward how in each body 31 as indicated by the arrow 78. the type of FIGS. 1-3 in which the cylindrical container- As shown, the heavier material el'liuent pipe means 32 s 5 lilis about '12 ft. in diameter and about 24 it. in overall includes a collector made of open-ended horizontal pipes length, the tubular member 15 being of a diameter of 81 on opposite sides of the midplane of the end zones, about :85 ft. with its lower edge terminating about 1 these pipes intaking exclusively through their open ends. foot below the horizontal midplane of the container. Such influent is manifolded and collected in a T 82, being With more easily separable-dispersions or with a lesser withdrawn through a pipe 83 under'the control of a degree .of mixing, the apparatus of the invention can 'be valve 84. employed without electric fields or other aids within the Another way of augmenting the how of residual dispreliminary separation chamber 14. With many disper- P lengthwise 0f the end Zones 's to p v sions, the'action of gravity alonein the various chambers rwal'dly-extfihdlhg fl ng i at the bottom Of the shroud will produce the desired degree of separation. In other 17 equipped with openings 91. Th r fi h discharges instances, separation-promoting means such as the grid the residual dispersion beneath this flange and while some of spaced u right fiowsstraightening members of FIG. 1 portions may rise through the openings 91, other portions or h d h of FIG 4 can 1 employgi Will he guided outwardly hehefith'the flange toward more Various changes can be made without departing from distant Portions of the end ZOBethe spirit of the invention as defined in the appended In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the separation-promoting l i v means includes means for maintaining in the upright pre- W l i as our i ti 'y Separation Chamhfil' rather y of 1. Apparatus for separating dispersions of oil and a sh medium extsndihg to a level 101 cohsldsrahly heavier material dispersed therein, said apparatus includv the distributor Which is here Placed at a level ing: a tubular containerclosed at its ends by heads and Som what l r than i FIGURE y Suitable means 25 having a central longitudinal axis extending horizontally I is p y control the level 4 Shows and of a length at least about 1.5 times the height of said 'agfammaticfllly, Ian hn'ahgemi/ht, also useful in the container measured vertically and at right angles to said bodimellt 0f including float 1% of a density to longitudinal axis, said tubular container providing upperhe u y in y 1% hut to sink in the dispersion most and lowermost walls; an upright tubular enclosure above the level 1M. Th s fihfitt is attached to rod within said container occupying only a small portionof guided at Hi5 Carrying a Valve member H56 the total internal volume of said container, an upright preat i s lower end adapted move toward and away from liminary separation chamberbeing formed within said a seat '107- I t level 191 d ps, the heat lowers enclosure, there being end zones within said container Y and restricts th l throhgh the P p 167 s between "said upright enclosure and the respective heads of i Vefsfl- The y tee is be g cohtlhuohsly h said container; means for fixedly supporting said tubular Infill-ted y the hfiavlef matehlal the dlspel'sloh wlhch enclosure in said container with its lower end above said is rem v d g Channeling upward through the f? lowermost Wall in open communication with the lower body 1%- In t embodiment, the tubular h' 15 interiors of both said end zones and its upper end spaced ,7 extends wmpletely to the t hf ths h hl below'the uppermost wall of the container; means for being connected thereto in fluidtight relationship. The fl wi the rsi upward in Said prgliminary swam. seal between the inside and outside of the tubular memtionchamber said lastm'amed means Comprising a mb 151 is t fiXed 0116, compared Wlth the hquld orifice dispersion distributor having orifices disposed in a S al in the embodiment of horizontal 'plane at a lower position insaid ,prelrninary An additional feature of I i G. 4 1s thatthe flangehtl separafibn chamber and means f supplyinggth dispe a. iat the end of tha Shmud 17 15 a i f l a h sion thereto; ashroud depending from said uppermost wall distance into the end zones to ESSlSt in distributing the 0f said tubular container around andspaccd from Said v right enclosure providing therebetween an upright'passage Of the end Zohehi v prachchl to e h; flange means openly communicating withlhe upper interioif Qf 99 a dlstfinfisof 18 ihChhS 1' more ht? the'end 3 said preliminary separation chamber through the space 1.

With e arrangement of 4 1t 13 ushallyhhslmble betweenthe top of said upright enclosure and said uppert a t the level of the hhhve h? fiahge most wall of said tubular container, said upright passage at The res'ldllal dlsperslm} means providing at its lower end an exudation orifice 5T exuded into thebodies 31 and is washed therein before opening mach of Said end Zones near Said uprighten; the oil 03 rise through iopenmg 91 the h closure to, deliver thereto residual dispersion for further; 5 at positions beyond flange fins Way thefhsp $5.1m s paration; an oil effluent P pe means opening on the upper? to he treated can shhlhcted t a dllal Washing f interiors of said end zones at positions outwardly beyond 0116 the Preliminary sepamtlon chamber m and me said exudation orifice to establish flows of residual disper-f. o he i the and Zonss v sion in the respective end zones away from said upright Ah examplh of operahonhf th mvenllon, W111 enclosurdadditional dispersed material settling frornrthe f I given With rsferenfie t0 apfocess 1h Whlch a 470 hydro 6Q. residual dispersionduring such flows to form a body of I fined distilla is Caustic Washed by use of aqueous heavier material. inthe lower interior of each end zone; Caushc solutionof a Strehgth q ,A and a heavy material elfiuent means for withdrawing from 10% f this caustic P was mlxed Wlth the dlstlnate saidbodies thereof the heavy material settling'both in said in the. mixer 28 and was resolved at arate ofabout 6,000 g upright Preliminary Separation chamber and in saidfind ji barrels per day in a. separator of the type oil- 1G. 1 V v p s a 2. Separating apparatus as defined, in clairnl. inclu .fing separation-promoting means in said upright prelimi nary 'sep'a'ratior'i ;chamber, -comprising a grid of spa upright concentric fiow s'traightening' members-wit uprightchambjer at a* lev'el ibe'tweensaid dispels y tributorandthegupper iter-ior' of -said ppright harnb the spaces"between saidfconcentric members occupying substantially the entire *cro "section ofsaidf uprighh amber fl V 3', :Sepaiatin contained an average of only: .100 5%v "or lessoi'residual" tions'remairiing theffsame, the"v dispersion cc auldl still ing means to adjust the level of said heavy material which settles in the lower interior of said container so that the lower end of said tubular enclosure extends into said heavy material in the lower interior of said container to provide columns of said heavy material respectively inside said tubular member and outside thereof in said end zones forming a liquid seal between the inside and outside of said tubular enclosure at the bottom thereof.

4. Separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means for establishing high-voltageelectric fields within said upright tubular enclosure.

5. Apparatus for separating dispersions of oil and heavier material dispersed therein, said apparatus including: a closed-ended horizontal cylindrical container of an overall horizontal length at least about 1.5 times its charm eter; an inner tubular member of cylindrical shape within said cylindrical container occupying only a small portion of the total internal volume of said container and fixedly mounted with its axis upright and perpendicular to the horizontal axis of said container and its upper end spaced below the uppermost wall of said cylindrical container, an upright preliminary separation chamber being formed within said inner tubular member; an outer tubular member comprising a cylindrical shroud having an upper end shaped to conform to the upper internal surface of said cylindrical container and connected thereto in substantially fluid tight relationship, said shroud depend ing around but being spaced from the periphery of said inner tubular member to define therebetween an upright annular passage openly communicating at its upper end with the upper interior of said preliminary separation chamber through the space between the top of said inner tubular member and said upper internal surface, the lower end of said upright annular passage comprising an exudation orifice positioned in the lower half of the interior of said container and opening on two end zones of the container between said tubular member and the respective ends of said container; means for preliminarily separating said dispersion in said preliminary separation chamber comprising means for flowing the dispersion upward therein, said last-named means including a multi-orifice dispersion distributor near the lower end of said chamber with its orifices disposed in a horizontal plane within said chamber and means for delivering the dispersion thereto, a residual dispersion flowing through said space to the top of and through said upright annular passage and thence into said end zones for further separation; a lightermaterial withdrawal means withdrawing separated lighter material from the upper interior of said end zones; and a heavier-material withdrawal means withdrawing separated heavier material both from the lower interior of said inner tubular member and from the lower interiors of said end zones.

6. Separation apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the lower end of said tubular member conforms in shape to said lowermost wall of said tubular container and is secured thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,440,832 Jones Jan. 2, 1923 1,781,076 Palmer NOV. 11, 1930 2,084,958 Hunter June 22, 1937 2,179,131 Millard Nov. 7, 1939 2,232,709 Luetgert Feb. 25, 1941 2,621,157 DAliberti Dec. 9, 1952 

1. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DISPERSIONS OF OIL AND A HEAVIER MATERIAL DISPERSED THEREIN, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING: A TUBULAR CONTAINER CLOSED AT ITS ENDS BY HEADS AND HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL AXIS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY AND OF A LENGTH AT LEAST ABOUT 1.5 TIMES THE HEIGHT OF SAID CONTAINER MEASURED VERTICALLY AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID TUBULAR CONTAINER PROVIDING UPPERMOST AND LOWERMOST WALLS; AN UPRIGHT TUBULAR ENCLOSURE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER OCCUPYING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE TOTAL INTERNAL VOLUME OF SAID CONTAINER, AN UPRIGHT PRELIMINARY SEPARATION CHAMBER BEING FORMED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, THERE BEING END ZONES WITHIN SAID CONTAINER BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHT ENCLOSURE AND THE RESPECTIVE HEADS OF SAID CONTAINER; MEANS FOR FIXEDLY SUPPORTING SAID TUBULAR ENCLOSURE IN SAID CONTAINER WITH ITS LOWER END ABOVE SAID LOWERMOST WALL IN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER INTERIORS OF BOTH SAID END ZONES AND ITS UPPER END SPACED BELOW THE UPPERMOST WALL OF THE CONTAINER; MEANS FOR FLOWING THE DISPERSION UPWARD IN SAID PRELIMINARY SEPARATION CHAMBER, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A MULTIORIFICE DISPERSION DISTRIBUTOR HAVING ORIFICES DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AT A LOWER POSITION IN SAID PRELMINARY SEPARATION CHAMBER AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING THE DISPERSION THERETO; A SHROUD DEPENDING FROM SAID UPPERMOST WALL OF SAID TUBULAR CONTAINER AROUND AND SPACED FROM SAID UPRIGHT ENCLOSURE PROVIDING THEREBETWEEN AN UPRIGHT PASSAGE MEANS OPENLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE UPPER INTERIOR OF SAID PRELIMINARY SEPARATION CHAMBER THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TOP OF SAID UPRIGHT ENCLOSURE AND SAID UPPERMOST WALL OF SAID TUBULAR CONTAINER, SAID UPRIGHT PASSAGE MEANS PROVIDING AT ITS LOWER END AN EXUDATION ORIFICE OPENING TO EACH OF SAID END ZONES NEAR SAID UPRIGHT ENCLOSURE TO DELIVER THERETO RESIDUAL DISPERSION FOR FURTHER SEPARATION; AN OIL EFFUENT PIPE MEANS OPENING ON THE UPPER INTERIORS OF SAID END ZONES AT POSITIONS OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID EXUDATION ORIFICE TO ESTABLISH FLOWS OF RESIDUAL DISPERSION IN THE RESPECTIVE END ZONES AWAY FROM SAID UPRIGHT ENCLOSURE, ADDITIONAL DISPERSED MATERIAL SETTLING FROM THE RESIDUAL DISPERSION DURING SUCH FLOWS TO FORM A BODY OF HEAVIER MATERIAL IN THE LOWER INTERIOR OF EACH END ZONE; AND A HEAVY MATERIAL EFFLUENT MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING FROM SAID BODIES THEREOF THE HEAVY MATERIAL SETTLING BOTH IN SAID UPRIGHT PRELIMINARY SEPARATION CHAMBER AND IN SAID END ZONES. 